williams



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

11. B. WILLIAMS.

PACKAGE CARRIER.

No. 433,111. Patented J31ly 29,1890.

Mcesse Jim/4 1i??? 3 Sheets--Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

H. B. WILLIAMS.

PACKAGE CARRIER.

02. M' 5/ 524 M4 W ifi bess es.

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No. 433,111. Patented July 29, 1890.

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NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY B. VILLIAMS, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR F ONE-HALF TO LEMUELA. JEFFREYS, OF SAME PLACE.

PAC KAG E-CARRIER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 433,111, dated July 29,1890.

Application filed December 28, 1889. Serial No. 835,251. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern: for adjusting the tripping-arm higher or Beit known that I, HENRY B. VlLLIAMS, lower. Fig. is a cross-section ofFig. 9 in of Rochester, in the county of Monroe and line 3 y. Fig. 11 isan enlarged cross-section State of New York, have invented a certain inline .2 z of Fig. 2. Fig. 12 is an enlarged 5 new and useful Improvementin Package cross-section of the traveling cord or cable Carriers; and Ido hereby declare that the and an elevation of the open fork on the topfollowing is a full, clear, and exact descripof the carrier whichengages with the cord. tion of the same, reference being had to the Aand A are the two main tracks, the first drawings accompanying thisapplication. leading from the salesman to the cashier, and IOMyimprovcment relates to package-carriers the latter being thereturn-track.

for stores, &c., designed to convey goods in a B is the cashiers stationand C the salesbasket or similar receptacle 011 a track leadmansstation, of which one or more may be ing from the counter or place wherethe goods used. are purchased to a cashiers desk, where the D is thecarrier or car which runs on the 15 goods are then wrapped and returnedover track, being in the form of a basket or other another track to theplace of starting, together suitable receptacle. with the difference inmoneybetween the de- The return-track A has, at a point a little positand the amount of purchase. Such deback from the receiving-station C, anarm E, vices are well known and in common use in which is pivoted at a,so as to turn up and 20 large retail stores. down,,the opposite endplaying free and reg- My invention consists in the construction isteringwith the main trackwhen raised and and arrangement of parts hereinafterfully with the curved receiving-track 0 when lowdescribed, and embodiedin the claims. cred, as indicated by the full and dotted lines In thedrawings, Figurelis a diagram showin Figs. 2 and 7 This arm forms aswitch 2 5 ing a plan view of the double track, includto carry thecarrier from the main returning the cashiers station at the left and onetrack to the receiving-station after ithas left of the salesmensstations at the right, the the cashier. main track extending beyond thelast-named F, Fig. 7 is a sliding bolt resting loosely in station andbeing broken oif. Fig. 2 is aside ways I) l) on the inner side of theswitch E, o elevation of Fig.1. Fig. 3 is a side elevation the outer end0 shooting past the joint beof a portion of the track on the sideleading tween the end of the switch and the main from the salesmens tothe cashiers stations, rail and resting in a socket (Z,which supportsand showing more particularly the switch on it and thus holds the switchin alignment that side for elevating the carrier and runwith the maintrack. At the opposite end of 3 5 ning it onto the main track. Fig. l isan enthe bolt is pivoted a connecting-rod f, pivoted larged plan view ofthe end of the track at at its opposite end to a rock-pin (,pivoted tothe cashiers station. Fig. 5 is a similar view a bearing h. Then therock-pin is thrown at one of the salesmens stations, and showforward, itdraws on the connecting-rod f and ing a plan view of the carrier inpassing thereby retracts the bolt F and unlocks the go 4 around thecurve at the place of deposit after switch E, allowing it to fall. Aspring i, at-

returning from the cashier. Fig. 6 is a crosstachcd at one end to thebolt and at the other section in line x or of Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is an eletothe switch, draws the bolt forward again vation looking on the innerside of the track in position to be locked when raised. The leading fromthe cashier to the salesman and locking end of the bolt is inclined toenable 45 showing the switch on that side, and the car it to spring pastthe socket with which it enin position for operating the switch to carrygages in rising. The switch is raised by a the car from the main trackto the place of spring j, attached to the hanger G or some depositbelow. Fig. 8 is a crosssection of other stationary part. the track anda rear elevation of the carrier. II, Figs. 9 and 10, is a slide movingup and I 2c 50 Fig. 9 is an enlarged face elevation of the downvertically in the head of the carrier D, upper part of the carrier,showing the means said slide being held at any adjustment by means of apointed dog In, attached to a shank 7c, pivoted at W, and provided witha fingerknob k pressed up to place by a spring k To change theadjustment of the slide the dog is withdrawn from one of a series ofnotches Z Z Z in the plate in which it rests and entered into anotherhigher or lower. m is a fixed stud attached to the adjustable slide andprojected inward to such a degree as to strike and trip the rock-pingand thereby release the switch, as before described. The object of theadjustment of the slide is to raise the stud m, so that while it tripsand operates its own pin, it will pass over and escape the other pins atother stations.

It is designed to use several receiving-stations, which are necessary inmost stores, and in order to allow the carriers for the remote stationsto pass over the track without operating the switches of .the nearerstations the rock-pins g g of the several stations are made of differentheights, those at the remoter stations being the highest, and the studsm m are correspondingly adjusted higher to pass over the first pins andstrike only the one at its own station. Thus arranged, when the carrierarrives at its station it strikes the rock-pin g at that station. theswitch E falls, and the carrier passes from the main track down over theswitch and ontothe curved receiving-track C, which stands at a lowerlevel and within reach of the attendant. The switch is depressed by theload of the carrier, and when the carrier has passed from it the switchis drawn back by the spring j, as before described. The carrier isprovided with flanged wheels at n, which run on r the track-one inadvance of the otherand these flanged wheels are attached to spindles 00, which turn axially in bearings 19 10 of the carrier. By this meansthe wheels can turn sufficiently to adapt themselves to the curvature ofthe track, and cramping and binding areprevented. q q, Figs. 7 and 8,are springs which ride under the track and prevent the wheels from beingthrown off. The lower portions of these springs are inclined so thatthey can yield in passing the switches by striking an incline r at thecontiguous end of the curved track 0.

I is an arm, pivoted at s to the other track A, that leads from thereceiving-station to the cashiers station. The free end of this arm,when lowered, connects with and forms a continuation of the curved track0, and inclines up to the main track above. The carrier, in passingaround the curve 0, is carried onto the end of arm I by its momentum,and is retained there when it stops by means of a projection t, Figs. 3and'5, forming a'catch with which engages one of the springs g on thecarrier, said spring yielding in passing over ,it and then springing outbehind it. to is a link, pivoted at one end to the free end of arm I,and having at the other a socketpiece t, Fig. 3, which slides on ahanger or other support G.

e is a cord or chain, attached at one end to the link a, thenceextending up over a pulley a on the hanger and thence down within reachof the operator. By drawing on the cord the arm I will be raised, asindicated by the dotted lines, Fig. 3, and with it the carrier, and inthis condition it stands at an incline", and the carrier will run downautomatically onto the main track in the direction of the cashiersstation.

K, Fig. 3, is a switch in the track A, pivoted at b and provided with abeveled free end b that shuts down on top of the main track and forms aconnection at that point.

Fig. 11, is a vertical arm attached to switch K, and d is a similarvertical arm attached to the elevator-arm I,the two lying in line. Thearm (1 is slotted, as shown at f g is a bearing attached rigidly to arm0 and passing loosely through the slot f the arm (1 sliding freely upand down on the hearing. When the elevator-arm I is raised, as beforedescribed, to run the carrier onto the main track, the switch K willberaised, as shown by dotted lines, Fig. 3, to clear the way for thecarrier, the latter running under it. When the arm I is lowered again,the switch K falls and makes the connection for other carriers on themain track. At the same time the slot f 2 is of such length that itallows the arm I to be lowered below the curved track 0, as indicated bythe dotted lines at the bottom in Fig. 2, so that in those places wherethe curved track 0 is so high that the carrier cannot be readily reachedit can be lowered to the desired degree to insert or remove the goods.

In this invention it is designed that the carrier shall never be removedfrom, the track in handling the goods, but always remain in place and incondition for running forward or back. In its normal position the freeend of the arms I rests in alignment with the end of the curved track 0and is held by a springhook 7L2, Fig. 3; but to lower it to the positionshown by the dotted lines, Fig. 2, the hook is sprung back by hand tofree the end of the arm. When the arm is raised again, it automaticallyengages with the spring-hook.

L, Figs. 5 and 6, is a spring-arm pivoted at 1? to a cross-bar or otherstationary device in the curved track 0 and adapted to swing forward andback in a half-circle. It is thrown back to the left by a torsion-springZ It is provided at its outer end with an upright hook m and with thishook engages a horizontal hook n on the head of the carrier D. When thecarrier runs down the incline and passes onto the curved track 0, thehook n strikes hook m and carries the arm L around with it and winds upthe torsion-spring 1 At the extreme of the turn 0 the spring-arm Lpasses under a cam 15, which depresses it and frees it from hook 11?,leaving the carrier to run forward, while the arm itselfsprings back toits former position. This spring-arm serves a double purpose. First, itcatches the carrier and prevents the rocking or swaying motion of thelatter in passing around the circle, and, secondly, it gradually retardsthe motion of the carrier, so that when it reaches the elevating-arm Iit is nearly still.

M is an endless cord or cable located above the tracks A A and runningin the directions in which the carrier is to travel, both in going toand from the cashiers station. It has at intervals enlargements 19 19thereon, conveniently made by clamping small thilnbles around the cord,as shown in Fig. 12. On the front standard 0 of the carrier is a forkedopen-topped extension 0, Fig. 12, which embraces the cord and is drivenforward by one of the shoulders 19 striking it in the rear. By thismeans the carrier is propelled as fast as the cord moves. At thosepoints where the carriage is deflected from the main course, as inpassing down the switch E, the fork separates from the cord, and inpassing from the arm I onto the main track it strikes under and engageswith it again.

At the cashiers station B the tracks A A are bent down, so that thetrack stands at a lower level, and at this point the cord M is at such aheight that the carrier frees from the cord and runs back on the track,where it is stopped. At this point the cord passes around pulleys 7' rwhich stand in advance of the rear end of the track, leaving the carrierunimpeded and free, as shown in the plan view, Fig. 4. In turningcorners the cord passes around pulleys 3 3 as shown in Fig. 1. Thepulleys are grooved and made of considerable vertical thickness. Inpassing the pulleys the fork of the carrier which holds the cord runsoutside the pulley, bearing upon its edge, and is carried around in thatcondition without slipping down vertically. As soon as the fork haspassed the pulley, the cord falls back into the groove. The enlargementson the cord are not of sufficient size to prevent the cord running inthe groove of the pulleys.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is-

1. In a parcel-carrier, the combination, with the main track A, of thepivoted elevator-arm I, the pivoted switch K, and a jointed connectionbetween said arm and switch, whereby when the arm is raised to run thecarrier onto the main track the switch will be raised from the maintrack, as and for the purpose specified.

2. In a parcel-carrier, the combination of the pivoted arm I, thepivoted switch K, a jointed connection 0 d between said arm and switch,the link 20, attached to the arm and provided with a socket o sliding011 a way, and a cord 8, for raising the arm, as herein shown anddescribed.

3. In a parcel-carrier, the combination of the pivoted arm I, the linkit, attached thereto and provided with a socket v sliding 011 a way, acord 6, for operating the arm, and a spring-hook 7L2, for holding thefree end of the arm, as shown and described, and for the purposespecified.

4. In a parcel-carrier, the combination, with the switch-track C, of thepivoted spring-arm L, arranged to connect with the carrier as it passesaround the circle, and a disconnecting device to free the arm from thecarrier at the end of its sweep, as herein shown and described.

5. The combination, with the carrier-head provided with notches Z Z, ofthe slide 11, resting therein and movable vertically, thelaterally-projecting stud m, attached to the slide, the shank 7t,pivoted to the slide and provided with a dog 75 that engages with thenotches, and a spring k which presses the dog into engagement with thenotches and allows its retraction to change the adjustment, ashereinshown and described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

HENRY B. IVILLIAMS.

\Vitnesses:

R. F. QSGOOD, WM. J. McPHERsoN.

